Potpourri: Random 2008 Matches
New Japan 12.09.07
Giant Bernard vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
I like Tanahashi’s cocky streak. He shows it in the beginning of this match with a rub of the bald man’s head, but Bernard does the same to him first. Good opening 3-5 minutes of wrestling with Bernard getting over on his strength and size. Tanahashi then runs off and hides. So this doesn’t make alot of sense to me. Tanahashi does it again. It makes sense but it’s stupid. I am picking this match back up where I left off after watching just a few minutes of it two months ago. I’m amazed how I thought then that the match was good but I didn’t like Tanahashi’s heelish shit then, but now it’s really quite good. Tanahashi hides under the ring… OK, that is sorta stupid. Then he runs in and bulldogs Bernard and hits a nasty clothesline to take him over the top and out of the ring. The match is structured around Baldo’s power vs. Tanahashi’s endurance and speed. Bernard still needs to be carried and the pace of the match is super slow, except for those rare big moments and moves where Bernard’s size comes into play. Thought it started better then it ended. **3/4
NJPW 12.09.07
Yuji Nagata vs. Tyson Tomko
Tomko does the big-man stuff and Nagata sells for him pretty well, then Nagata goes to and armbar and Tomko does the same. Some hard-hitting, but nothing special. The corwd is dead quiet, an I know that’s the norm in japan, but they don’t seem to get behind anything Tomko does. Tomko acts very aloof in the ring and I find that most of his matches come off the same way, just cold and detached. Finally 7 minutes in Nagata hits a nice german on Tomko to wake me up. The rest was crap and so was the finish. *3/4
K-Dojo 12/1/07
Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo vs. Kota Iifushi/Madoka : IWGP Jr Tag Titles
This match wanted to be better then it was. I was looking forward to another look at Kota Iifushi. Taka seems somewhat lazy half the time except when he’s on offense. Kota and Madoka were mostly all kicky. Togo was good with those stiff clotheslines. Taka went to the eye poke every three minutes it seemed. Still, Taka’s kicks impressed me the most of everyones. And the last 5 minutes were pretty damn hot. ***3/4
